Designed to control Steam (Steam), Ethylene Oxide (EO) and Dry Heat (DRY) sterilization processes. Spore strips should be incubated in an appropriate growth medium for the corresponding Geobacillus stearothermophilus ATCC® 7953 or Bacillus atrophaeus ATCC® 9372 growth.

If the sterilization process was not successful,  MC1020-2 Growth Medium will turn to yellow after incubation at the corresponding temperature, thus indicating the existence of living spores on the strips.

If the sterilization process was successful, MC1020-2 Indicating Medium will remain its original color. A final readout should therefore be performed after 24 hours of growth medium incubation at 60±2 °C (MC1020-2) for steam sterilization processes control, or 48 hours at 37±2 °C (MC1020-2) for Ethylene Oxide and Dry Heat sterilization processes control.

Instructions for use

1. Identify the Bionova® BT60 envelope by writing the sterilizer number (in case of having more than one), load number and processing date on its back.

2. Pack it in an appropriate package along with material to be sterilized, according to recommended sterilization practices. Place the envelope in those areas you consider a priori more inaccessible to the sterilizing agent. A typical problematic area is the center of the load.

3. Perform sterilization cycle.

4. After the sterilization process has finished, you can:

A. Remove the Bionova® BT60 envelope from the package for processing and incubation.

B. For Ethylene Oxide sterilization, you can aerate the package containing the biological indicator with the rest of the load or remove the biological indicator from the sterilization package for incubation prior to material aeration.

5. Tear up the envelope at one end very carefully under sterility conditions (eg. laminar flow cabinet) and transfer spore strip with a sterile clamp to MC1020-2 Growth Medium tube, or to any other appropriate growth medium. IMPORTANT: Use latex gloves and chin strap when transferring spore strips from the envelope to growth medium tube.

WARNING! Avoid spore strip contact with any kind of surface including the outer part of Growth Medium tube and of Bionova® BT60 envelope.

IMPORTANT: Use a spore strip which has not been subjected to the sterilization process as a positive control each time a processed strip is incubated. Positive control guarantees that the incubation was carried out under appropriate conditions.

6. Incubate processed spore strips along with the strip used as positive control at the corresponding temperatures: 60±2 °C or 37±2 °C. It is advisable to make observations every 10 hours.

Color change of MC1020-2 Growth Medium to yellow means a failure in the sterilization process. If after incubation, no color change is visible on the growth medium, the result is negative (i.e. the sterilization process was successful). MC20-2, MC1030-2 or MC1020-2 Indicating Medium used for incubating the spore strips which have not been sterilized (positive control) should turn to yellow in order for the results to be valid.

(*) ATCC is a registered trademark of American Type Culture Collection.

The post Spore strips for Dry Heat, Steam and EtO first appeared on Terragene.

The envelope containing Bionova® BT50 Spore Strip is specifically designed to control Steam 121 ºC-135 ºC (Steam) and Formaldehyde (Form) sterilization processes. Spore strips should be incubated in Bionova® MC1020-2 Growth Medium tube or in appropiate Growth medium for Geobacillus stearothermophilus ATCC® 7953 growth.

If the sterilization process was not effective,  MC1020-2 Growth Medium will turn to yellow after incubation between 55-62ºC, thus indicating the existence of living Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores on the strips.

If the sterilization process was effective, MC1020-2 Indicating Medium will remain its original color. A final readout should therefore be performed after 24 hours of growth medium incubation between 55-62ºC for Steam sterilization processes control, or 48 hours between 55-62ºC for Formaldehyde sterilization processes control.

Instructions for use

1. Identify Bionova® BT50 envelope by writing on its back the sterilizer number (in case of having more than one), load number and processing date.

2. Pack it in an appropriate package along with material to be sterilized, according to recommended sterilization practices. Place the envelope in those areas you a priori consider more inaccessible for sterilizing agent. A typical problematic area is the load center.

3. Perform sterilization cycle.

4. After sterilization process has finished, remove Bionova® BT50 envelope from the package for processing and incubation.

5. Tear up the envelope at one end very carefully under sterility conditions (eg. laminar flow cabinet) and transfer the spore strip with a sterile clamp to MC20-2 or MC1020-2 Growth Medium tube or any other appropriate growth medium.

WARNING: Avoid spore strip contact with any kind of surface including the outer part of Growth Medium tube and of Bionova® BT50 envelope.

IMPORTANT: Use latex gloves and a mask when transferring spore strips from the envelope to growth medium tube.

Use a spore strip which has not been subjected to the sterilization process as a positive control each time a processed strip is incubated. Both, processed spore strip and the strip used as positive control must belong to the same batch. Positive control guarantees that the incubation was carried out under appropriate conditions.

6. Incubate processed spore strips along with the strip used as a positive control between 55-62ºC during a maximum of 24 hours for Steam or 48 hours for Formaldehyde. It is advisable to make observations every 10 hours.

Color change of MC1020-2 indicating medium to yellow means a failure of the sterilization process.

If after 24 hours (Steam) or 48 hours (Form) no color change is visible on MC1020-2 growth medium, the result is negative (i.e. the sterilization process was effective). MC1020-2 Growth Medium used for incubating the spores strips which have not been sterilized (positive control) should turn to yellow for the results to be valid.

(*) ATCC is a registered trademark of American Type Culture Collection.

The post Spore strips for Steam and LTSF (10^6 spores) first appeared on Terragene.

The envelope containing Bionova® BT40 Spore Strip is specifically designed for the monitoring of Ethylene Oxide (EO) sterilization processes or for Dry Heat sterilization processes.

Spore strips should be incubated in Bionova® MC1020-2 Growth Medium tube or in appropriate growth medium for Bacillus atrophaeus ATCC® 9372 growth. If the sterilization process was not successful, Bionova® MC1020-2 growth medium will turn to yellow after incubation at 37±2 ºC, thus indicating the existence of living Bacillus atrophaeus spores on the strip.

If the sterilization process was successful, MC1030-2 or MC1020-2 Indicating Medium will remain its original color. A final readout should therefore be performed after 48 hours of growth medium incubation at 37±2 ºC.

Instructions for use

1. Identify Bionova® BT40 envelope by writing on its back the sterilizer number (in case of having more than one), load number and processing date.

2. Pack it in appropriate package along with material to be sterilized, according to recommended sterilization practices. Place the envelope in those areas you a priori consider more inaccessible for sterilizing agent. A typical problematic area is the load center.

3. Perform sterilization cycle.

4. After the sterilization process has finished, you can:

A. Remove the Bionova® BT40 envelope from the package for processing and incubation.

B. For Ethylene Oxide sterilization, you can aerate the package containing the biological indicator with the rest of the load or remove the biological indicator from the sterilization package for incubation in  MC1020-2 culture medium or any other appropriate growth medium prior to material aeration.

5. Tear up the envelope at one end very carefully under sterility conditions (eg. laminar flow cabinet) and transfer spore strip with a sterile clamp to MC1020-2 Growth Medium tube, or to any other appropriate growth medium.

IMPORTANT! Use latex gloves and chin strap when transferring spore strips from the envelope to growth medium tube. WARNING! Avoid spore strip contact with any kind of surface including the outer part of growth medium tube and of Bionova® BT40 envelope.

IMPORTANT: Use a non-sterilized spore strip as a positive control at least once per day, when a sterilization cycle is run. Both, processed spore strip and the strip used as positive control must belong to the same batch. Positive control guarantees that the incubation was carried out under appropriate conditions.

6. Incubate processed spore strips along with the strip used as positive control during a maximum of 48 hours at 37±2 ºC. It is advisable to make observations every 10 hours. Color change of MC1030-2 or MC1020-2 Growth medium to yellow means a failure on sterilization process.

If after 48 hours no colour change is visible on MC1020-2 Growth Medium, the result is negative (i.e. the sterilization process was successful). or MC1020-2 Indicating Medium used for incubating the spores strips which have not been sterilized (positive control) should turn to yellow in order for the results to be valid.

(*) ATCC is a registered trademark of American Type Culture Collection.

The post Spore strips for EtO and Dry Heat (10^6 spores) first appeared on Terragene.